Population 16,639 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hardin County
Household size in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.29 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Hardin County is a place of small households, averaging 2.32 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.6 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.3 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.7 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.8 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Hardin County is 43.8 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.8% of households in Hardin County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other Iowa counties, Hardin County has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Hardin County
Renters in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.2% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.5% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.4% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Hardin County own their homes; 26.4% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (50.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the southeast.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Hardin County than nationally: 12.3%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Hardin County has a higher vacancy rate than at least four in five Iowa counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1951 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +6 |
Hardin County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1955, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1951 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $501 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $607 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $642 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $770 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$269 | +$351 | +$606 |
Rent in Hardin County runs $770 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $269 a month from 2006–10, a 54% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 25.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Hardin County
Bachelor's degrees in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.3% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.6% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Hardin County: 22.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.3 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.6% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.5% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.8% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Hardin County is above the national rate: 92.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Iowa. The share with a diploma is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Hardin County is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Iowa overall (3.7%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Hardin County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County | 2.32 | 43.8 | 7.8% | 26.4% | 12.3% | 1955 | $770 | 22.6% | 92.8% | 4.8% |
| Grundy County | 2.40 | 42.5 | 7.8% | 15.5% | 6.7% | 1961 | $859 | 28.3% | 96.7% | 1.9% |
| Hamilton County | 2.36 | 42.8 | 8.9% | 26.6% | 9.3% | 1950 | $869 | 22.0% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Black Hawk County | 2.37 | 37.0 | 10.5% | 33.8% | 8.2% | 1968 | $1,030 | 32.7% | 93.3% | 4.5% |
| Webster County | 2.25 | 39.2 | 9.8% | 29.7% | 12.3% | 1958 | $797 | 22.0% | 93.5% | 4.9% |
| Buchanan County | 2.53 | 40.7 | 10.2% | 17.9% | 7.6% | 1972 | $973 | 22.2% | 93.6% | 2.8% |
| Calhoun County | 2.30 | 43.9 | 7.7% | 19.5% | 16.2% | 1957 | $743 | 21.8% | 92.9% | 2.4% |
| Delaware County | 2.36 | 45.3 | 7.3% | 20.4% | 10.4% | 1967 | $739 | 22.3% | 93.3% | 1.7% |
| Sac County | 2.22 | 46.7 | 8.4% | 22.0% | 15.2% | 1954 | $737 | 22.1% | 92.7% | 4.0% |
| Ida County | 2.23 | 41.6 | 11.4% | 27.1% | 8.6% | 1954 | $698 | 22.7% | 94.8% | 2.4% |
| Dubuque County | 2.38 | 40.0 | 7.9% | 26.7% | 6.0% | 1974 | $1,015 | 33.3% | 93.9% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Benton County, IN · Blaine County, OK · Blaine County, MT · Blaine County, ID · Wyoming County, WV · Big Horn County, WY · Big Horn County, MT · Bienville Parish, LA · Bibb County, AL · Bethel Census Area, AK
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Hardin County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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